Dialogues on the Supersensual Life Part 8

DISCIPLE

And how can this be without dying, or the whole destruction of my Will?

MASTER

Upon this entire surrender and yielding up of thy Will, the Love of G.o.d in thee becometh the Life of thy Nature; it killeth thee not, but quickeneth thee, who art now dead to thyself in thine own Will, according to its proper Life, even the Life of G.o.d. And then thou livest, yet not to thy own Will, but thou livest to its Will; for as much as thy Will is henceforth become its Will. So then it is no longer thy Will, but the Will of G.o.d; no longer the Love of thyself, but the Love of G.o.d, which moveth and operateth in thee; and then, thou being thus comprehended in it, thou art dead indeed as to thyself, but art alive unto G.o.d. So being dead thou livest, or rather G.o.d liveth in thee by his Spirit; and his Love is made to thee Life from the Dead. Never couldst thou with all thy seeking have apprehended it, but it hath apprehended thee. Much less couldst thou have comprehended it, but it hath comprehended thee; and so the Treasure of Treasures is found.

DISCIPLE

How is it that so few Souls do find it, when yet all would be glad enough to have it?

MASTER

They all seek it in _somewhat_, and so they find it not. For where there is Somewhat for the Soul to adhere to, there the Soul findeth _that somewhat only_, and taketh up its rest therein, until she seeth that it is to be found in Nothing, and goeth out of the Somewhat into Nothing, even into that Nothing out of which all Things may be made. The Soul here saith "_I have nothing_, for I am utterly stripped and naked of every Thing; _I can do nothing_, for I have no manner of power, but am as water poured out; _I am nothing_, for all that I am is no more than an Image of Being, and only G.o.d is to me I AM; and so, sitting down in my own Nothingness, I give glory to the Eternal Being, and _will nothing_ of myself, that so G.o.d may _will all_ in me, being unto me my G.o.d and All Things." Herein now it is that so very few find this most precious treasure in the Soul, though every one would so fain have it; and might also have it, were it not for this Somewhat in every one that letteth.

DISCIPLE

But if the Love should proffer itself to a Soul, could not that Soul find it, nor lay hold of it, without going for it into Nothing?

MASTER

No verily. Men seek and find not, because they seek it not in the naked Ground where it lieth; but in something or other where it never will be, nor can be. They seek it in their _own Will_, and they find it not. They seek it in their _Self-Desire_, and they meet not with it. They look for it in an _Image_, or in an _Opinion_, or in _Affection_, or a natural _Devotion_ and _Fervour_, and they lose the substance by thus hunting after a shadow. They search for it in something sensible or imaginary, in somewhat which they may have a more peculiar natural inclination for, and adhesion to; and so they miss of what they seek, for want of diving into the Supernatural and Supersensual Ground, where the Treasure is hid. Now, should the Love graciously condescend to proffer itself to such as these, and even to present itself evidently before the Eye of their Spirit, yet could it find no place at all in them, neither could it be held by them, or remain with them.

DISCIPLE

Why not, if the Love should be willing and ready to offer itself, and to stay with them?

MASTER

Because the _Imaginariness_ which is in their own Will hath set itself up in the place thereof. And so this Imaginariness would have the Love in it, but the Love fleeth away, for it is its prison. The Love may offer itself; but it cannot abide where the _Self-Desire_ attracteth or imagineth. That Will which attracteth Nothing, and to which Nothing adhereth, is only capable of receiving it; for it dwelleth only in Nothing, as I said, and therefore they find it not.

DISCIPLE

If it dwell only in Nothing, what is now the office of it in Nothing?

MASTER

The office of the Love here is to penetrate incessantly into Something; and if it penetrate into, and find a place in Something which is standing still and at rest, then its business is to take possession thereof. And when it hath there taken possession, then it rejoiceth therein with its flaming Love-fire, even as the sun doth in the visible world. And then the office of it is without intermission to enkindle a fire in this Something which may burn it up; and then with the flames thereof exceedingly to enflame itself, and raise the heat of the Love-fire by it, even seven degrees higher.

DISCIPLE

O, loving Master, how shall I understand this?

MASTER

If it but once kindle a fire within thee, my son, thou shalt then certainly feel how it consumeth all that which it toucheth, thou shalt feel it in the burning up thyself, and swiftly devouring all _Egoity_ or that which thou callest _I and Me_, as standing in a separate Root, and divided from the Deity, the Fountain of thy Being. And when this enkindling is made in thee, then the Love doth so exceedingly rejoice in thy fire, as thou wouldest not for all the world be out of it; yea, wouldst rather suffer thyself to be killed, than to enter into _thy something_ again. This fire must now grow hotter and hotter, till it shall have perfected its office with respect to thee. Its flame also will be so very great that it will never leave thee, though it should even cost thee thy temporal life, but it would go with thee with its sweet loving fire into death; and if thou wentest also into h.e.l.l, it would break h.e.l.l in pieces also for thy sake. Nothing is more certain than this, for it is stronger than Death and h.e.l.l.

DISCIPLE

Enough, my dearest Master, I can no longer endure that any Thing should divert me from it. But how shall I find the nearest way to it?

MASTER

Where the way is hardest, there go thou; and what the World casteth away, that take thou up. What the World doth, that do thou not; but in all things walk thou contrary to the World. So thou comest the nearest way to that which thou art seeking.

DISCIPLE

If I should in all things walk contrary to other people, I must needs be in a very unquiet and sad state, and the World would not fail to account me for a madman.

MASTER

I bid thee not, Child, to do harm to anyone, thereby to create to thyself any misery or unquietness. This is not what I mean by walking contrary in everything to the World. But because the World, as the World, loveth all deceit and vanity, and walketh in false and treacherous ways, thence, if thou hast a mind to act a clean contrary part to the ways thereof, without any exception or reserve whatsoever, walk thou only in the right way, which is called the _Way of Light_, as that of the World is properly the _Way of Darkness_. For the right way, even the Path of Light, is contrary to all the ways of the World.

But whereas thou art afraid of creating to thyself hereby trouble and inquietude, that indeed will be so according to the flesh. In the world thou must have trouble, and thy flesh will not fail to be unquiet, and to give thee occasion of continual repentance. Nevertheless in this very _anxiety of soul_ arising from the world or the flesh, the Love doth most willingly enkindle itself, and its cheering and conquering fire is but made to blaze forth with greater strength for the destruction of that evil. And whereas thou dost also say, that the World will for this esteem thee mad; it is true the World will be apt enough to censure thee for a madman in walking contrary to it, and thou art not to be surprised if the children thereof laugh at thee, calling thee silly Fool. For the Way to the Love of G.o.d is Folly to the World, but is Wisdom to the Children of G.o.d. Hence, whenever the World perceiveth this holy Fire of Love in G.o.d's Children, it concludeth immediately that they are turned fools, and are beside themselves. But to the Children of G.o.d that which is despised of the World is the greatest Treasure, yea, so great a Treasure is it as no life can express, nor tongue so much as name what this enflaming, all-conquering Love of G.o.d is. It is brighter than the Sun; it is sweeter than anything that is called sweet; it is stronger than all strength; it is more nutrimental than food; more cheering to the heart than wine, and more pleasant than all the joy and pleasantness of this world. Whosoever obtaineth it is richer than any Monarch on earth; and he who getteth it, is n.o.bler than any Emperor can be, and more potent and absolute than all Power and Authority.

DIALOGUE III

BETWEEN JUNIUS, A SCHOLAR, AND THEOPHORUS, HIS MASTER, CONCERNING HEAVEN AND h.e.l.l

The Scholar asked his Master "Whither goeth the Soul when the Body dieth?"

His Master answered him: There is no necessity for it to go any whither.

How not, said the inquisitive Junius, must not the Soul leave the body at death and go either to Heaven or h.e.l.l?

It needs no going forth, replied the venerable Theophorus. Only the outward Mortal Life with the body shall separate themselves from the Soul. The Soul hath Heaven and h.e.l.l within itself before, according as it is written. _The Kingdom of G.o.d cometh not with observation, neither shall they say Lo here! or Lo there! For behold the Kingdom of G.o.d is within you._ And which soever of the two, that is, either Heaven or h.e.l.l, is manifested in it, in that the Soul standeth.

Here Junius said to his Master: This is hard to understand. Doth it not enter into Heaven or h.e.l.l, as a man entereth into a house; or as one goeth through a hole or cas.e.m.e.nt into an unknown place; so goeth it not into another world?

The Master spoke and said: No, there is verily no such kind of entering in; forasmuch as Heaven and h.e.l.l are every where, being universally co-extended.

How is that possible? said the Scholar. What, can Heaven and h.e.l.l be here present, where we are now sitting? And if one of them might, can you ever make me believe that ever both should be here together?

Then spoke the Master in this manner: I have said that Heaven is everywhere present and it is true. For G.o.d is in Heaven; and G.o.d is everywhere. I have said also that h.e.l.l must be in like manner everywhere. For the _Wicked One_, who is the Devil, is in h.e.l.l, and the whole World, as the Apostle hath taught us, lyeth in the _Wicked One_, or the _Evil One_; which is as much as to say, not only that the Devil is in the World, but that the World is in the Devil; and if in the Devil, then in h.e.l.l too, because he is there. So h.e.l.l therefore is everywhere, as well as Heaven; which is the thing that was to be proved.

The Scholar, startled hereat, said: Pray make me to understand this.

To whom the Master: Understand then what Heaven is. It is but the _turning in of the Will to the Love of G.o.d_. Wheresoever thou findest G.o.d manifesting himself in Love, there thou findest Heaven, without travelling for it so much as one foot. And by this understand also what h.e.l.l is and where it is. I say unto thee it is but the _turning in of the Will into the wrath of G.o.d_. Wheresoever the Anger of G.o.d doth more or less manifest itself, there certainly is more or less of h.e.l.l, in whatsoever place it be. So that it is but the turning in of thy will either into his Love, or into his Anger; and thou art accordingly either in Heaven or in h.e.l.l. Mark it well. And this now cometh to pa.s.s in this present life, whereof St Paul speaking saith, _Our conversation is in Heaven_. And the Lord Christ saith also, _My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them the Eternal Life, and none shall pluck them out of my hand_. Observe, he saith not, I _will give_ them, after this life is ended, but I _give_ them, that is, now in the time of this life. And what else is this gift of Christ to his followers, but an Eternity of Life, which for certain can be no where but in Heaven. Yea, moreover, none shall be able to pluck them out of Heaven, because it is he who holdeth them there, and they are in his hand which nothing can resist. All therefore doth consist in the turning in, or entering of the Will into Heaven, by hearing the the voice of Christ, and both _knowing_ him, and _following_ him. And so on the contrary it is also. Understandest thou this?

His Scholar said to him: I think, in part, I do. But how cometh this entering of the Will into Heaven to pa.s.s?

The Master answered him: This then will I endeavour to satisfy thee in; but thou must be very attentive to what I shall say unto thee. Know then, my son, that when the Ground of the Will yieldeth itself up to G.o.d, then it sinketh out of its own Self, and out of and beyond all ground and place, that is or can be imagined, into a certain unknown Deep, where G.o.d only is manifest, and where he only worketh and willeth.

And then it becometh nothing to itself, as to its own working and willing, and so G.o.d worketh and willeth in it. And G.o.d dwells in this designed Will, by which the Soul is sanctified, and so fitted to come into Divine Rest. Now, in this case, when the body breaketh, the Soul is so thoroughly penetrated all over with the Divine Light, even as a glowing hot iron is by the fire, by which being penetrated throughout, it loseth its darkness, and becomes bright and shining. Now this is the _hand of Christ_, where G.o.d's Love thoroughly inhabits the Soul, and is in it a shining Light, and a new glorious Life. And then the Soul is in Heaven, and is a Temple of the Holy Ghost, and is itself the very Heaven of G.o.d, wherein he dwelleth. Lo, this is the entering of the Will into Heaven; and thus it cometh to pa.s.s.

Be pleased, Sir, to proceed, said the Scholar, and let me know how it fareth on the other side.